Midwest Overview - August, 2005

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Drought Breaks In Missouri, but Holds on in Illinois

Significant rain fell during August in much of Missouri, southern Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky from a combination of thunderstorms and the remnants of Hurricane Katrina. August rainfall was normal to above normal across most of Missouri, the southern third of Illinois, far southern Indiana, and much of Kentucky (Figure 1). Rainfall was also above normal across the southwestern two-thirds of Minnesota and northern Lower Michigan. The area of extreme drought depicted (in red) on the U.S. Drought Monitor map, which extended from southern Wisconsin into central Missouri at the beginning of the month, had been reduced to the northwestern third of Illinois by August 30 (Figure 2, National Drought Mitigation Center). Rainfall amounts in western and central Missouri totaled 8 to 10 inches (Figure 3), and some locations reported totals in excess of 11 inches in Kentucky. Kentucky had its 2nd wettest August on record, while Missouri had its 5th wettest August, both big changes from previously dry conditions. For the climatological summer period (June-August), rainfall was above normal along the western and southern portions of the region (Figure 4). Dry pockets were found in western and northern Illinois, as well the arrowhead of Minnesota through extreme northern Wisconsin.

The pattern of temperatures during August exhibited a typical north/south gradient across the region (Figure 5). Temperatures ranged from near normal in Iowa to 2°F below normal in northern Minnesota. Temperatures were 3°F to 4°F above normal from southeastern Missouri through southern Illinois, southern Indiana, Kentucky and southern Ohio (Figure 6). For the climatological summer season (June-August), temperatures were above normal in almost all of the Midwest, from 1°F above in the west and south to 3-4°F above in the Great Lakes area (Figure 7). The Midwest overall had its 8th warmest summer since 1895, and Michigan and Ohio both had their 3rd warmest summer.